Hoists are often used to apply pulling force through a lifting medium to a load. Hoists may operate by winding and unwinding a cable about a drum, for example. Hoists may be used in many fields, including air rescue, to raise and lower loads. A hoist employed in air rescue operations may lower a hook to a target and pull the target up to a rescue helicopter. In airborne hoisting environments, hoist mechanisms may reduce efficiency of an aircraft by occupying space and adding weight.